Owned by Fate (Serve #1)(32)

“Master. Yes, yes… Oh, God.” He wrapped an arm around her hips at the last minute to keep her from collapsing as she shuddered violently. Her close-mouthed scream was the hottest f*cking thing he’d ever heard, hot enough to make him want to give her another release, but she surprised him by abruptly sitting back on her heels. Before he could order her back into position, she turned around and…kissed him. It wasn’t tentative or reluctant, either. It wasn’t a kiss that said she knew this thing between them was wrong but couldn’t help her need for it. No, this was surrender. She clutched the sides of his face and opened her mouth for his tongue, daring him not to enter. As if he had a choice when she tasted so f*cking sweet and was finally, finally letting herself go, right there in his arms.

Jonah knew what would happen next, though. He’d throw her down onto her back and f*ck her until she screamed loudly enough for the limousine driver to be seriously worried. And when it was all over, she’d tell him he was bad for her. She’d walk away. So he wouldn’t give her what she so clearly wanted, as painful and difficult as it would be. He knew all about pain, though, and he could play the long game if it meant seeing her again. In fact, he was starting to think he’d do just about anything for that. Furthermore, he’d come to see her only after vowing to himself that it would be for her only. He’d initiated her into his world last night, and it had been his responsibility to comfort her. Not leave her worse off than before.

Her hands fumbled with the fly of his pants, stopping to squeeze his pulsing erection. Jonah groaned at the pressure he’d been craving, but going completely against his instincts, he stayed her wrists by grabbing them. “No, sweetheart.”

“No?” She heaved the single word. “Please, I need to…I want to use my mouth—”

“No.” Damn, he was a bastard. To punish her like this. The way her mind worked, she would go crazy knowing this encounter had been one-sided and left unfinished. Hell, it might kill him, too. But he couldn’t let her get away with the damage she’d done. Not without being disciplined. “Not this time.”

“Jonah.” She said his name like a curse, shrewd eyes clearing of just enough lust to analyze him. “This is my punishment, isn’t it? You’re punishing me.”

He stared at the ceiling, hating himself as she shoved her skirt back down and crammed her hand against her mouth. Outside, he saw Serve come into view and rolled down the partition separating them from the driver.

“Please make sure to take Ms. Preston back to the same spot where we picked her up.”

“Yes, sir.”

Don’t leave her. Hold on to her.

The only thing that kept him from scooping her up in his arms was the sliver of a chance his actions might bring her back for one more night. Instead, he reached over and took her chin in his hand. “Whatever happens, however you push me away or slander me, I’ll be waiting for you to come to me. If that makes me sick, so be it.” He let go of her chin and gripped his hardness through his pants. “For now, though, look at your punishment, Caroline. You’ve displeased your master.”

A quiet sob fell from her mouth, rending him in two. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them tightly. God, it almost killed him seeing her hurt, but there was another, darker part of him that needed her to be affected by him this way.

“Good-bye, Caroline.”

Shutting the door behind him and walking toward Serve, away from the glimpse of heaven she would give him if he let her, felt like a prison march.





Chapter Eleven


Caroline groaned at the ceiling of Oliver’s car as yet another slow, bass-heavy song began pumping through the expensive stereo of his Jaguar. Normally, her brother’s musical choices didn’t bother her, but today, everything he played reminded her of Serve. Of the brooding music played within its walls. Of Jonah.

She glanced at Oliver, wondering if the dark tone of the music reflected her brother’s mood. It was Saturday, hence their prescheduled road trip to their father’s house on Long Island for brunch. Her brother hadn’t yet brought up the article, and she was dreading the moment he would. On top of everything that had transpired with Jonah, she didn’t think she could handle Oliver’s disappointment.

Jonah. Just thinking his name made her want to squirm. They hadn’t parted ways on the best of terms, to put it mildly, but dammit if her desire to see him again didn’t increase with each passing hour. Until he had soothed her with the lotion, her bottom had felt distinctly tender. She should’ve been pleased that the reminder of her transformation into a submissive had faded, but instead, she’d felt an odd sense of loss. As if something were missing. Frankly, it disconcerted the hell out of her. The only thing that had calmed her was the garter she slid up her thigh each morning.

Look at your punishment, Caroline. You’ve displeased your master.

Oliver briefly tore his gaze from the road. “You going to tell me what’s up?”

“It’s nothing.” She played with the window controls. Was it possible to feel bereft of someone you’d known such a short amount of time? Or did this restless gloom come part and parcel with the knowledge that her world would never be rocked quite so handily ever again?

“I’m just wondering how many of my brain cells this music will kill before we reach Long Island.”